<\/p>\n
You don\u2019t need 47 different tools to start a local newsletter.<\/p>\n
Trust me, I\u2019ve tried.<\/em><\/p>\n I\u2019ve been running local media for over a decade with The Mobile Rundown [both a blog<\/a> and newsletter<\/a>].<\/p>\n And here\u2019s what I\u2019ve learned:<\/p>\n Simple wins.<\/p>\n Every time.<\/em><\/p>\n So let me show you the exact tech stack I use to run a profitable local newsletter.<\/p>\n No fluff. No overcomplicated systems.<\/p>\n Just what actually works.<\/p>\n Quick note: I find a lot of value in communities, so I started an online community of local newsletter operators who share strategy and ideas. I\u2019d love for you to look into joining us<\/a>! <\/p>\n This is where the magic happens.<\/p>\n I use beehiiv for our email newsletter.<\/p>\n [<\/em>here\u2019s a discount<\/a><\/em> if you want to test it out].<\/em><\/p>\n Here\u2019s a cool feature.<\/p>\n beehiiv has its own advertiser network.<\/p>\n You can start making money from their advertisers before you ever land your first local sponsor.<\/p>\n Pretty cool, right?<\/p>\n Plus, every newsletter you send becomes a live URL on their platform.<\/p>\n So beehiiv isn\u2019t just an email tool.<\/p>\n It\u2019s basically a full website.<\/p>\n Two tools in one.<\/p>\n If I had found beehiiv before launching our blog, I\u2019m not sure I\u2019d still have 2 different web properties.<\/em><\/p>\n I still use WordPress<\/a> for my main blog site.<\/p>\n Even though beehiiv handles a lot of the web stuff.<\/p>\n WordPress gives me more control for longer content and SEO.<\/p>\n It\u2019s where I house articles like this one.<\/p>\n You\u2019ll need to get web hosting (I currently use WPX<\/a> and am very happy with them).<\/p>\n WordPress is still a great option, but\u2026<\/p>\n There are other great options out there as technology advances.<\/p>\n WordPress needs to continue to evolve to keep me on its platform.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s my guide<\/a> to starting a blog if you go this route\u2026<\/p>\n Canva<\/a> for the basics \u2013 I use it daily.<\/em><\/p>\n But I\u2019m using AI tools like Nano Banana<\/a> more often now.<\/p>\n Why?<\/p>\n Because it can make adjustments to images just by typing out what you want.<\/p>\n And it will continue to evolve and get better.<\/p>\n As a note, Canva is continuing to evolve, also!<\/em><\/p>\n Of course, I use Google Analytics.<\/p>\n But let\u2019s be honest.<\/p>\n It\u2019s pretty horrific for what I actually need to know.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why I\u2019m building my own tool<\/a> to display the data more easily!<\/p>\n Sometimes you gotta solve your own problems.<\/p>\n But you 100% need some sort of analytics tool so that you are aware of traffic sources and trends.<\/p>\n Here\u2019s where it gets interesting.<\/p>\n I\u2019m on Facebook, Instagram, TikTok, and YouTube.<\/p>\n My advice is to pick no more than 2 platforms and perfect those before expanding.<\/p>\n But Facebook is special.<\/p>\n Our Facebook page actually drives revenue directly from Facebook\u2019s monetization program.<\/p>\n Yep, Facebook pays me to create content for our local community.<\/p>\n Most local media professionals are unaware of this.<\/p>\n But it\u2019s real money.<\/p>\n And it compounds over time.<\/p>\n I use CitySpark<\/a> for our events calendar now.<\/p>\n Used to use the calendar plugin from Modern Tribe<\/a>.<\/p>\n But I\u2019m actually looking to build my own AI-powered calendar.<\/p>\n Why?<\/em><\/p>\n Because local events are a huge traffic driver.<\/p>\n And most calendar tools aren\u2019t built for local media.<\/p>\n There\u2019s an opportunity here.<\/p>\n The beauty of starting simple?<\/p>\n You can add tools as you grow.<\/p>\n You don\u2019t need everything on day one.<\/p>\n Start with the core 4.<\/p>\n Get your first 1,000 subscribers.<\/p>\n Then expand.<\/p>\n Once your newsletter is humming, you can expand.<\/p>\n We expanded into print with a publication that highlights non-profits in our region.<\/p>\n We run events (like silent disco parties that book through our newsletter).<\/p>\n We even have video content that feeds back into the newsletter.<\/p>\nThe Newsletter Foundation: Your Core 4 Tools<\/h2>\n
1. beehiiv (Your Email Platform)<\/h3>\n
2. WordPress (Your Content Hub)<\/h3>\n
3. Canva + AI Tools (Your Design Stack)<\/h3>\n
4. Google Analytics (Your Analytics\u2026 Sort Of)<\/h3>\n
The Social Media Revenue Machine<\/h2>\n
The Local Business Tools<\/h2>\n
CitySpark for Events<\/h3>\n
The Rest of the Stack<\/h3>\n
Beyond the Newsletter: The Full Local Media Play<\/h2>\n